Tuesday, 31 October 2017

How to keep healthy in Winter

I’m guilty of making more of an effort to keep fit and healthy during Summer but then go into complete hibernation in Winter. The daunting fear of summer holiday bikinis, combined with the weather staying lighter and me wanting to be out and about during summer keeps me motivated to exercise, but as soon as it starts getting dark I immediately want to curl up under a blanket and eat as much comfort food as possible. However, with the arrival Winter and cold weather we are also more susceptible to getting run down and feeling under the weather, which is why it’s important to keep up a positive, healthy lifestyle when the cold draws in!

Meal Prep: Making my lunches for the working week helps me save money and means I won’t be tempted to “treat myself” on a daily basis to unhealthier meals. If I ever forget my lunch I resort to huge portions of pasta bakes or packet sandwiches and never get enough fresh vegetables. I was recently inspired by Carly Rowena’s meal prep video and usually whip up a batch of couscous, chicken and peppers then sprinkle some spinach on the top, it takes all of 15 minutes to prepare and is a cheaper option too.

Switch off: I can’t begin to describe how important a sleep routine is to me. As a child I was one of those people that could never sleep and even as I grew older I had problems switching off or would stay up unnecessarily late just playing on my phone or laptop. Now I have no shame in heading for bed early and making sure I get a good night’s sleep as possible. I try to steer clear from my laptop or phone before bedtime and instead head to bed with a book. I’ll switch my main bedroom light off and just keep some fairy lights or a candle on then spritz my pillow with a lavender spray (I love the This Works pillow spray) and I drift off in no time.

Wake up on the right side of the bed: While you don’t necessarily need a full eight hours of sleep, quality is definitely more important than quantity. If you get disturbed throughout the night while sleeping or have irregular sleeping patterns it may be more difficult for your body to repair and recover. I was recently sent a sample of Benenox Overnight Recharge, a night time supplement and is a combination of honey, Sustamine® and Vitamin B6, which supports good quality sleep and allows you to wake up feeling fully recharged and ready to take on the day.

Kick the bad habits: So no one can transform into a healthy-eating, clean living, exercise-doing goddess overnight, but making small changes to your lifestyle can help you on the way to get there. Think about some of your unhealthy habits and how you can change them. If it’s snacking, pick up healthy options during your food shop and snack on fruit and vegetables throughout the day. If it’s smoking, try to cut back.

There is no simple way to say this – smoking kills. For decades we have known this, and yet people continue to light up. It is such a powerful addiction that quitting is one of the hardest things you will ever do.

There are many different plans available to help stop smoking. One is a nicotine replacement therapy and another option is vaping. The Royal College of Physicians issued a report in spring 2016 recommending smokers make the switch to vaping products. Use of them has increased significantly, almost doubling from 700,000 users to more than 1.3 million. Other can also turn to hypnotherapy while acupuncture can also assist with cravings, restlessness, irritability, and jitters. PRescription medications and herbal remedies are also available, while some people can simply go cold turkey. This is probably the most difficult options and requires extreme commitment but it is the most effective method. Of course, it goes without saying that the sooner you quit, the bigger health benefits to yourself and those around you.